1929 Lincoln Model L

Henry Martyn Leland was known as 'the Master of Precision' and he established the Cadillac Motor Company in 1903 from the remnants of Henry Ford's second failed attempt to start an auto company. Henry's third attempt resulted in the Ford Motor Company. Among the many contributions to the Cadillac company, Leland championed precision manufacturing and interchangeable parts, helping to change the face of the motor industry. Mr. Leland left Cadillac following a dispute with General Motors President Billy Durant, forming the Lincoln Motor Company in 1917 to build Liberty aircraft engines for World War I. When peacetime resumed and the government contract dried up, much of the workforce idled. Leland's solution was to re-enter a business he knew, such as manufacturing motor cars.

The first Lincoln automobiles appeared in September 1920, and following a slow start to production - partly a result of Leland's obsession with perfection, and compounded by a nationwide recession - soon put Lincoln into receivership. The Lincoln Motor Company was purchased by Henry Ford for eight million dollars in 1922.

Within the Ford portfolio, the Lincoln marque was the flagship of the empire, and its fate and fortunes were largely entrusted to Henry's son, Edsel. Having a talent for design, Edsel did away with the perpendicular Leland-era bodies and replacing them with modern and elegant designs, looking to coachbuilders for inspiration.

The Leland-era Lincoln automobiles were built atop a 130- and 136-inch wheelbase platform and were powered by a 357.8 cubic-inch V8 engine that used a 60-degree (instead of the more common 90-degree) vee and fork and blade connecting rods. It used a Stromberg updraft carburetor, mechanical valve lifters, and three bearings, producing 81 horsepower at 2,600 RPM. It was backed by a three-speed Sliding gear transmission with multiple disc, dry plate clutch, and braking was handed by mechanical brakes on two rear wheels. The chassis was renowned for its strong and durable torque-tube drive and Alemite lubrication fittings.

Following the Ford takeover, the 130-inch wheelbase chassis was eliminated, and Houdaille hydraulic shock absorbers were adapted to the chassis. Four-wheel mechanical brakes were installed on all Lincoln models for 1927 and were described as a 'six brake system' in reference to the hand brake control over the rear brakes along with the front and rear brake operation by the foot pedal. A larger 384.8 cubic-inch engine with a 1/8 inch bore increase was introduced late in 1927 and carried over into 1928. It had a slight boost in compression ratio to 4.81:1, a reshaped combustion chamber, used counterweights on the crankshaft, and the intake valves measured 1 7/8 inches rather than the prior 1 3/4-inches. Other changes for 1928 included a lighter weight rear axle, new steering tube bearings, an engine oil filter, and conical valve springs. Minor changes occurred in 1929, with the use of rubber engine mounts, a stronger starter-generator, and an increase in oil pressure from 30 to 50 pounds.

Edsel Ford and his design team affected evolutionary changes to the exterior design with the replacement of the leather windshield visor with a dark glass version, twin windshield wipers, and many models received laminated safety glass. In the front was a new, higher, radiator and hood lines. Along with twenty-four cataloged bodies, Lincoln offered twelve bodies of its own design, from deluxe Sport tourers to closed sedans. Among the list of custom coachbuilders were Dietrich, Judkins, LeBaron, Locke, Brunn, Willoughby, and Waterhouse.

The 60-degree L-head eight-cylinder engine with its 384.8 cubic-inch displacements produced 90 horsepower at 2,800 RPM. It used a three-speed sliding gear transmission, mechanical external expanding brakes on all four wheels, and rode on 20-inch steel spoke wheels. Semi-elliptic springs were used in the front and rear and a live axle was in the back. Optional equipment included dual sidemounts, wooden artillery wheels, steel disc wheels, Buffalo wire wheels, tonneau cover, monogram, and sidemount covers.

The interior of the 1929 Lincoln was updated with the repositioning of the cigar lighter from the instrument panel to the dashboard. The previous spring-wound clock was replaced by an electric clock, and a new engine temperature gauge joined the instrument cluster.

Calendar year sales for 1929 reached 6,399, a figure similar to the past several years.

by Daniel Vaughan | Nov 2020